Wire netting machine



Jan. 14, 1930. G. D, BENNETT ET AL 1,744,023

WIRE NETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Horn ey- Wiines e5.-

Jan. 14, 1930. G. D. BENNETT ET AL 1,744,023

WIRE NETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1n veniohs'. Geggre, fl Ben 7261i Mines gg'lw T hez'rAiiorne y.

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Jan. 14, 1930. G. D. BENNETT ET AL 1,744,023

WIRE NETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, '1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 In veniors- Gear eJZBermeZi w. v B

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WIRE NETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 [71 veniors.

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Jan. 14-, 1930. G. D. BENNETT ET AL 1,744,023

WIRE NETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1n ventors.

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Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE D, BENNETT AND EINO E. SAKSA, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS WIR NETTING MACHINE Application filed August 18, 1928. Serial No. 300,589.

This invention relates to a wire netting machine, and an object of the invention is the provision of an improved type of ma chine for the fabrication of wire netting T which will reduce cost of manufacture, produce a superior product and be highly efiicient in operation.

An important object of the invention is the construction of a machine of this character to greatly reducing the number of working parts over machines heretofore employed and particularly resulting in the elimination of bobbins which have formerly been considered necessary and have been a constant 15 source of trouble and delay in manufacture. The machine of the invention is particularly adapted to the manufacture of a hexagonal form of mesh commonly used in wirejnetting and which, in the trade, is often referred to 20 as the diamond mesh. In producing this type of mesh the present invention is distinguishedfrom earlier machines and an ob ject of the invention resides in producing the successive twisting of the wire entirely above 25 and free from the twisting gears whereby the feed Wires may lead directly to the machine from the original reels or spools without the necessity of the intermediate bobbin winding and adjusting operations, and whereby the 30 feed wires are independently maintained in alignment through the machine.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which: 7

Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2, is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with the netting delivery drum omitted to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 3, is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 taken at the right hand side of machine;

Fig. 4, is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, is a plan view of two complementary halves of a wire twisting gear, in registry to gonstitute an operative Wire twisting mem- Fig. 6, is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. and

Fig. 7, Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, are diagrammatic views showing the successive stages of the netting manufacture.

The preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a machine frame 12, upon which is ournaled a shaft 13 having a fixed pulley 14 adapted to be driven by belt 15 extending from a suitably located drive shaft and also provided with a loose pulley 16, wherebyto start or stop the machine by laterally extending belt shifter bar 17 slidable in brackets 18. Upon one end shaft 13 is keyed a bevel pinion 19 which meshes with bevel gear 20 secured to one end of vertically extending shaft 21, journaled in the frame of machine, and upon the opposite end of shaft 21 is keyed pinion 22 adapted to mesh with large spur gear 23 rotatably mounted upon the upper end of shaft 23. Pivotally connected to crank pin 24: of gear 23is a linlr25 which is also connected to a horizontally reciprocating member composed of an upper toothed rack 26 and a lower shifter link 27. Suitably mounted upon the bed of the machine, for slidable reciprocation relative to each other, are two slide bars 28 and 29, and provided along the adjacent contacting faces of bars 28 and 29 are a plurality of vertically extending semi-cylindrical grooves for the reception of the wire twisting gear supporting members as hereinafter explained. Pivotally connected at one end of bar 29 is a link 30 which is also connected to the lever 81 pivotally mounted at 32. Upon the other arm of lever 31 is pivotally connected a second link 33 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to bar 28. Pivoted at 3% and 35, respectively, are arms 36 and 37, the free ends of which are connected by the tension spring 38. The opposite ends of lever 31 are provided with rollers and the opposing faces of arms 36 and 37 have semi-circular pockets 39 in which the rollers of lever 31 are adapted to seat upon the completion of each reciprocation of bars 28 and 29. Thus, the construction and arrangement is such that bars 28 and 29 are adapted to reciprocate simultaneously in opposite directions by reason of the link and lever connection just described, and the travel is such that at the end of each alternative reciprocating motion, the bars 28 and 29 will he in the position shown in Fig. 2, whereas at the end of each other alternative travel the rollers on lever 31 will seat in the two remaining pockets 39, as shown in Fig. 2. The purpose of this latter construction is primarily to insure the proper registry of complementary gear halves following each reciprocation of bars 28 and 29. The respective twisting gear supporting members consist of two parts l0 and 41, Fig. 4., which preferably are semi-cylindrical throughout the central portion so as to lit within semi-cylindrical grooves provideo on bars 28 and 29, and preferably each member {l0 and ll is provided with a key 4-2 for engagement with a corresponding slot in each vertical groove of the members 28 and 29. The upper portion of the member 40 is enlarged as at l8 and is provided with a semi-circular groove 44 adapted to receive a flanged lower projection to of half-gear i6, and similarly the upper extremity 47 of member 41 has a corresponding semi-circular groove 48 within which the lower flanged extremity i9 of half-gear 50 is adapted to makeslidable engagement, and thus in the preferred embodiment shown a dovetail construction is provided so as to permit rotation of a twisting gear composed of the half gears 46 and 50. A plurality of these complementary half gears are provided de pending upon the desired width of the netting to be manufactured and as shown in 6 when in registry each pair of half gears is adapted to rotate about a hub portion 51 formed by the upper extremity of members 40 and 41. As gear 23 rotates, the construction is such. that bars 28 and 29 are shifted relative to each other twice during each complete rotation. Thus, as gear 23 approaches the position shown in Fig. 1, the projection 52 on shifter link 27 engages the remote end of bar 29 bringing the parts to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and as gear 23 approaches a position diametrically opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, the shoulder 52) engages the opposite end of bar 29 causing the shifting of bars 28 and 29 in such manner that each half gear 46 and 50 is brought into registry with a half gear which forms part of a complete wire twisting gear during the next proceeding wire twisting operation. The shifting of the half gears alternates with actuation by the teeth of rack 26 with the gears and the construction is such that preceding each shifting operation the contacting faces of the respective half years are in alignment with the contacting faces of shifter bars 28 and 29. Further, the

2 gear ratio of the driving gears is such that between each shifting operation of bars 28 and 29, each complementary pair of half gears makes three complete rotations by means of engagement of rack 26. Thus, it will be seen that a tier of half gears is supported by each of the bars 28 and 29, and preferably the lower tier as shown in Fig. 2 during each shifting operation has the lower half gear l6 provided with an upwardly extending pit 54 the lower extremity of which is provided with a cap 55 having a slot for the reception of one end of a compression spring 56, the other end of which extends into a slot 57 in the side of the pin chamber and the body of the pin is held in position by a screw threaded plug 58.

The purpose and function of the spring 56 is to restore the pin 5a to the position shown in Fig. 6 following each wire twisting operation as hereinafter explained, and also to normally maintain the horizontal extension 59 in position perpendicular to the line of separation of the half gears. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, each of the non-rotatable gear supporting members 43 and 47 is provided with a small channel or bore permitting the passage of wire therethrough, channel 00 being disposed in the hub portion 51 of member 43 and channel 61 being disposed in the hub portion of member 47, and as further shown in Fig. 5 these openings are slightly offset so as to permit the extension of pin 59 therebetween. lVire for fabrication of the netting is threaded through these channels, and preferably spools for the wires extending through the portions 43, are placed at the front of the machine as shown 62 in Fig. 3, and the spools for the wire which is threaded through the portions 4:7 to the rear of the machine as shown at 63.

Keyed upon drive shaft 18 is a pinion (34' which through intermediate gears 65, 66 and 6? drives pinion 68 which, in turn, rotates in unison with gear 69 which meshes with gear 70 and through the small intermediate gear 71 drives gear 72 secured shaft 73 upon which is fixedly mounted netting delivery drum 74 provided with a plurality of appropriately spaced netting engaging pegs 75. The timing arrangement is such that the drum 7 L maintains the proper tension upon the completed netting and consequently upon the wire strands extending through the machine. Shaft 73 of drum 74 is suitably journaled in bearings 76 upon the frame of the machine. Referring to Fig. 2, a shoe 77 is mounted upon bar 29 and adapted to contact with the diametrical face of half gear 78 to prevent displacement thereof until the next following shifting of bars 28 and 29, whereupon half gear 7 9 is brought in registry with half gear 78 and a similar shoe 80 is mounted upon bar 29 to engage the diagrammatical face of half gear 81. Preferably guards 82 are provided to cover the gears on the side adjacent the operator. Also, to maintain tooth rack 26 inalignment, brackets 83 are preferably bolted to the frame of the machine and a pair of rollers 84: are pivotally mounted in cross bar 85.

As shown in Fig. 3, wire 86 represents the plurality of wires leading from the spools 62 at the front of the machine and 87 represents through holes and a second wire leading vertically through hole 61. At this stage twisting pin 59 extends between the wires and upon actuation of the twisting gears by means of toothed rack 26 the wires are twisted by interposition of pin 59 so that at the completion of a travel of rack 26 in one direction four twists are represented in Fig. 7 and because of this manner of twisting it will be noted that each twist represents two reverse twists with a small loop 88 in the center. This has been found a superior type of twist because of the tendency to tighten engagement of the wires at the ends of the twist. Immediately following the twisting operation diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, bars 28 and 29 are shifted relative to each other by engagement with shifter link 27 which causes, as above referred to, each half gear to be shifted into registry with the next adjoining half gear, and inasmuch as drum 74L is rotating and drawing the wire through the machine, at the completion of thisshifting operation the wires are in the position shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. It will be noted that just preceding the twisting operation the wires are of greater length than after the twist has beenmade, which is rendered neces sary by the particular type of twist inasmuch as the twist works upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. Also as this takes place the extremity 59 of the wire twisting pin 54 is raised and causes compression of spring 56. After the twist has been completed the shifting of the half gears causes projection 59 to'be turned laterally a short distance and then withdrawn from loop 88. After thedisengagement spring 56 performs the double function of restoring twisting pin 54 to the original position shown in Fig. 6 with extremity 59 at right angles tothe line of surface contact of the shifting members. Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically the completion of the twist, the starting of which is shown in Fig. 8. If desired extra wires may be run through the end half gears so as toreinforce the edge of the netting and by reason of the tension on the wire the twisting of the edge wires is automatically taken care of. .Any suitable delivery mechanism may be employed beyond the rotatable drum 7% and in Fig. 3 there is shown a portion of a conveyor 89 which may be driven by a belt traveling on a pulley secured to shaft 90.

It is believed that the operation of the machine is quite apparentv from the foregoing description. The requisite number of spools 62 and 63 are provided and the wires threaded through the respective openings 60 and 61. Theoperation is entirely automatic as will be noted and as drum 74 rotates at a uniform rate of speed, the wires are maintained under an even tension resulting in a uniform mesh pattern superior to thatobtainable on former machines. The intermittent shifting of bars 28 and 29 by means of shifter link 27 alternating with rotation of the gear members causes the necessary spreading of the wires and the necessary twisting operations.

l/Vhile we have described and illustrated the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. Vile, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction as set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such varia-. tions and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members ,7 ElClJilCQIlt their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wlres through said gear supportin members,

means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, means for alternately rotating pairs of half gears, and means for twisting the wlres during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

2. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gearsrotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, a reciprocating toothed rack adapted to intermittently rotate complementary pairs of half gears, and means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

3. A machine of the class described, com prising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, means for intermittently shifting said reciproeatory members relative .to each other, a reciprocatory toothed rack adapted to intermittently rotate complementary pairs of half gears and alternately rotate different pairs of complementary half gears, and means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

4. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members,

means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, means for alternately rotating pairs of half gears, and a pin mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair of half gears and adapted to engage and twist wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

5. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, a shifter link adapted to intermittently shift said reciprocatory members relative to each other, means for alternately rotating pairs of half gears, and a pin mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair of half gears and adapted to engage and twist wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

6. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with. half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of,

half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, a reciprocating toothed rack adapted to intermittently rotate complementary pairs of half gears, and a pin mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair of half gears and adapted to engage and twist wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

7. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, a shifter link adapted to intermittently shift said reciprocatory members relative to each other, a reciprocatory toothed rack adapted to intermittently rotate complementary pairs of half gears, and a pin mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair of half gears and adapted to engage and twist wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, a reciprocatory toothed rack adapted to intermittently rotate complementary pairs of half gears and alternately rotate different pairs of complementary half gears, and a pin mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair of half gears and adapted to engage and twist wires during said rotating operations, substantially as described.

9. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting me1nbers,a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feedin opening, means for shifting said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, means for rotating said pairs of half gears, and means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

10. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of rcciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear suppor ing members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supportin member provided with a wire feeding opening, a shifter link ada ted to intermittently shift said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, means for rotating said pairs of half gears, and means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

11. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear support-- ing members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feeding opening, means for shifting said reciprocatory' members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, a toothed rack adapted to engage and intermittently rotate said pairs of half gears, and means for twisting the wires during said rolit) tating operation, substantially asdescribed.

12. A machine of the class described, commembcrprovided with a wire feeding open-- ing, a shifter link adapted to intermittently shift said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, a toothed rack adapted to engage and intermittently rotate said pairs of half gears, and means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, substantially as described.

18. A. machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feeding opening, means for shifting said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, means for rotating said pairs of half gears, and a wire twisting member mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair and adapted to engage and twist adjacent wires during said rotation,

substantially as described.

let. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member providedwith a wire feeding opening, a shifter link adapted to intermittently shift said reciproeatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, means for rotating said pairs of half gears, and a Wire twisting member mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair and adapted to engage and twist adjacent wires during said rotation, substantially as described.

15. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feeding opening, means for shifting said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear ofeach pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, a toothed rack adapted to engage and intermittently rotate said palrs of half gears, and a Wire twlsting member mounted upon a half gear of each complementary pair and adapted to engage and twist adjacent Wires during said rotation, substantially as described.

16. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear sup porting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feeding opening, a shifter link adapted to intermittently shift said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, a toothed rack adapted to engage and intermittently rotate said pairs of half gears, and a wire twisting member mounted upon a half gear of each complementarypair and adapted to engage.

and twist ad acent wires during said rotation, substantially as described.

17. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members pro vided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of halfgears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, means for alternately rotating pairs of half gears, means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, and power driven means for advancing the Wire through the machine, substantially as described.

18. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with half gear supporting members adjacent their contacting faces, a plurality of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear su fiporting members, means for feeding wires through said gear supporting members, means for intermittently shifting said reciprocatory members relative to each other, means for alternately rotating pairs of half gears, a pin mounted upon a half gear of each tating operation, and power driven means for advancing the wire through the machine, substantially as described.

19. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feeding opening, means for shifting said reciprocatory members to bring a half gear of each pair into registry with a half gear of an adjoining pair, means for rotating said pairs of half gears, means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, and power driven means for advancing the wire through the machine, substantially as described.

20. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of reciprocatory members provided with a plurality of half gear supporting members, a plurality of pairs of half gears rotatably mounted upon said gear supporting members, each half gear supporting member provided with a wire feeding opening, means for ifting said reciproca- V tory members to brir'" a half gear of each pair into registry with t half gear of an adjoining pair, a toothed rack adapted to engage and intermittently rotate said pairs of half gears, means for twisting the wires during said rotating operation, and power driven means foradvancing the wire through the machine, substantially as described.

21. The combination with a wire netting machine, of a wire feeding support provided with a plurality of spaced wire feeding openings, a second wire feeding support mounted adjacent said first mentioned wire feeding support and also provided with a plurality of spaced wire feeding openings, means for twisting wires passing through said wire feeding openings while said wire feeding supports are at rest, and means for shifting one of said wire feeding supports relative to the other between wire twisting operations, substantially as described.

22. The combination with a wire netting machine, of a wire feeding support provided with a plurality of s aced wire feeding openings a second wire feeding support mounted adjacent said first mentioned wire feeding support and also provided with a plurality of spaced wire fee ing openings, wire twisting means adapted to intermittently twist wires passing through said wire feeding openings While said Wire feeding supports are at rest, means for intermittently actuating said wire twisting means, and means for shifting one of said wire feeding supports relative to the other between wire twisting operations, substantially as described.

7 In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

GEORGE D. BENNETT. EINO E. SAKSA. 

